Sunday Shows

Bill Clinton Sees Trouble for Obama Among Younger Voters

By Jonathan Miller

Former President Bill Clinton said he wonders whether President Obama can count on the under-30 vote this time around.

“We still don’t know who’s going to vote,” Clinton said on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS. “He won an enormous victory with people under 30 [in 2008]. But they are disproportionately likely now to be the unemployed or stuck in part time jobs that can be frustrating. I think for all kinds of reasons they’re going to be unlikely to vote in large numbers for Gov. Romney, but will they vote?”

Clinton was also asked whether Romney’s now-infamous “47 percent” quote had “an element of truth to it.” After a lengthy pause, Clinton said, flatly, “No,” but added, “Do I think there are some Americans who are trapped in the cycle of dependency? Yes, I think that is a problem. That’s why I supported welfare reform.”